1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to novel molybdenum oxycarbide catalysts, a method for making these new catalysts, and reactions employing these new catalysts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Nature, 202 (1964) 1327, Ferguson et al, reports the preparation of a range of molybdenum oxycarbides by pyrolyzing molybdenum hexacarbonyl under a low pressure of hydrogen at 300.degree. C. Chemical and structural analyses of these oxycarbides indicated they had a face centered cubic lattice, an atom ratio Mo:C of 1:0.28-0.34, and an atom ratio Mo:O of 1:0.31-0.46. No surface area analysis or use of these oxycarbides is reported.
In the catalysis art Nature Physical Science, 229 (1971) 27, Sinfelt et al, describes ethane hydrogenolysis using carbided molybdenum particles (surface area 12.4 and 12.7 m.sup.2 /g) made by reducing molybdenum dioxide with hydrogen and carbiding the reduced molybdenum with a mixture of ethane, hydrogen, and helium. The rate of ethane hydrogenolysis increased with the degree of carbiding of the catalyst.
In addition Science, 181 (1973) 547, Boudart et al states that the literature indicates that addition of carbon to nonnoble metals, such as molybdenum, confers to such metal some of the catalytic properties of the noble metals.